Identification tag



S. I. GOLDSTEIN IDENTIFICATION TAG April 26, 1949.

Filed June 27, 1944 Patented Apr. 26, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEIDENTIFICATION TAG Simon I. Goldstein, Baltimore, Md.

Application June 27, 1944, Serial No. 542,310

1 Claim. 1

This invention pertains to the identification of articles and moreparticularly to umbrellas. It has among its objects to provide anidentification tagfor an umbrella that will identify its ownership; thatcan be readily applied; that will facilitate'the discovery'of its theftshould that occur; that can be applied to the umbrella inconspicuouslyand which will be simple in structure and economical in cost.

Other obje'cts'will become apparent as the invention is more fully setforth.

Conventional tags and the like have been used for packages and suitcases as an identification means for ownership for a considerableperiod. These tags are well known, and consist in general of a flap onwhich the name etc., of the owner is placed, while projecting from oneend portion is a strap or ribbon known as a tongue, which is threadedthrough a slit at the same end or buckled after being bent around thehandle of the suit case or usual package binding or holding means. Thename etc. that is placed on the face of the tag for the identificationis left exposed so as to be ready for inspection at any time. The tongueis kept away from this surface so it will not obstruct the reading ofthe wording placed thereon. The material of the tag is usually cardboardand is stifi. In this invention the marker is made of paper or similarflexible material and is used specifically for umbrellas and the like.

The marker is made a part of the umbrella by numbering it at the sametime and with the same stamp that the rib of the umbrella is marked.This marker is sold attached to the umbrella. The owners name is put onafter it is bought. The tongue of the marker covers the owners nameadequately and prevents it from being obliterated under ordinary use andconditions. This is provided for by making the marker small and compactso its tongue will not extend beyond the body of the tag or beconspicuously extended therefrom as in the usual tag, when placed on thesuit case etc. In this invention the tag is bent double on itself whenin position and is not spaced away from the tongue, as in theconventional way.

In order to illustrate the invention, drawings have been made of a formthereof, references being to them, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of an umbrella tag embodying thisinvention, in place on an umbrella;

Figure 2 is a detail of the front of the blank from which the tag isformed before placement on the rib of an umbrella;

Figure 3 is a detail of the back of the blank,

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the tag taken along line 44 of Figure 1,and

Figure 5 is an elevation of the tag in section showing its form beforeplacing on the rib of an umbrella.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout thedrawings.

In the drawings i represents the rib of a conventional umbrella. A tag 2consisting of a blank formed with a tongue 3 having the contour andarrow-head supported on a short shoulder 4 which projects slightly fromthe body portioni. The body portion forms the surface on which theaddress and other identification wording is placed. It is preferablyrectangular, having rounded corners. A slit 6 forms the opening throughwhich the tongue is passed to lock on the rib when it is attached to theumbrella. This slit is arranged longitudinally across the body portion 5and located so as to enable the tongue to reach to the front edge ofsame and lock when inserted, as indicated in Figure 1. To facilitate theinsertion of the tongue 8 within the slit 6 and have the tag adaptitself quickly and properly to the rib of the umbrella, the portionadjacent the shoulder is creased at the lines H and I2 longitudinallyacross, so it will be bent into U- form contour as indicated in Figure5. This creasing and bending enables the tag to be handled moreexpeditiously and make it set properly in place. It assures the placingof the tag on straight and fitted closely so as to make a neatattachment and less liable to be torn.

The names and other identification wording are placed on the dottedlines [5 shown printed on the front of the tag surface, as shown. Thename and address of the owner is marked on the tag after it is on theumbrella. After placing the tag on the rib of an umbrella the rib andtag are stamped together with the number I! specifically adopted forthat umbrella. This connects the umbrella, and tag together and makesremoval of the tag discoverable. The material of which the tag is madeis preferably waterproof so the rain will not cause it to spoil.

After the tag is in position, its tongue 3 covers.

the name of the owner on the front and protects it from generalobservation. At the same time the tongue may be raised for the readingof such name. The tag is bent over as shown in Figure 1 and holds to therib by being bent between the slit and the short shoulder.

Should anyone take the umbrella unauthorizedly, same can be recovered byreason of this tag. Its removal or loss will not help the purloiner,since this will in itself call attention to the fact that the umbrellais without it. If the tag is changed by another, not authorized to doso, the umbrella number will not be shown on it, or if placedsurreptiously will not usually be identical with that on the rib,because in the latter instance, it will not be impressed at the time ofmanufacture as in the original case.

The small additional slit 8 in the nose of the arrow head permits thetongue to be inserted more easily, as it allows the sides to :be benttogether for the purpose. On an attempt at removal the slit 8 weakensthe tongue so that it is very liable to tear and indicate tampering.

The borders Ill serve as guides in placing the tongue through the slitand for proper placement of the device on the umbrella.

While but one form of the invention is shown in the drawings anddescribed in the specification, it is not desired to limit thisapplication for patent to this particular form or in any other wayotherwise than limited by the scope thereof, as it is appreciated thatother forms of construction could be made that would use the sameprinciples and come within the scope of the appended claim:

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed is:

An identification tag comprising a substantially rectangular bodyportion, said body portion having identification markings on the facethereof adjacent one of the longitudinal edges thereof, a longitudinalslit adjacent the other of said longitudinal edges, a locking tongueprojecting transversely from the latter of said mentioned edges andbeing of a width substantially equal to the extent of the identificationmarkings, a short shoulder connectin said body portion and lookingtongue, said locking tongue being in the shape of an arrow head having arelatively sharp edge at the apex thereof, and a lateral slit throughthe apex of said locking tongue, said locking tongue being adapted fordownward bending and looping upward and passing through saidlongitudinal slit to cover the identification markings on the face ofthe tag and said lateral slit being adapted to facilitate the movementof said tongue through said longitudinal slit.

SIMON I. GOLDSTEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 659,199 Anderton Oct. 9, 19001,324,568 Shelton Dec. 9, 1919 1,618,312 Shipps Feb. 22, 1927 1,674,739Post June 26, 1928 2,016,059 Stevens Oct. 1, 1935 2,153,227 AllstatterApr. 4, 1939 2,209,162 Hunt July 23, 1940 2,325,906 Clafiey Aug. 3, 1943FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 459 Great Britain Aug. 3, .1889

